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Victory Garden; Victory Garden 2323

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Gardening program hosted by Jim Wilson and joined by Bob Smaus, Roger Swain, Lucinda Mays and Peter Seabrook as international travel correspondent. Series chef is Marion Morash. Special correspondent is Holly Shimizu. The Boston-based Victory Garden (w/ Roger Swain) is located at a private residence; Victory Garden South is at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia; Victory Garden West is at Roger's Garden Center in Corona del Mar, California. Original program: Crockett's Victory Garden - premiered April 6, 1976. Hosted by Jim Crockett. Second host Bob Thomson (for 12 years till 1991).
Series release date: 1976

Program Description

Roger Swain discusses the advancing frost and so, he begins to harvest tomatoes 'Ruby Cluster' and 'Prime Time.' He tells us to look for the white "blaze" at the base of green tomatoes, which tells us the tomato is in the breaker stage and will ripen within a few weeks if brought indoors.

He and Roger Cook examine an area of the lawn that has showed signs of being stressed. The problem is the soil which is too compacted, too hard. To alleviate this, Roger Cook recommends aerating the soil. He drives an aerating machine that literally pulls out plugs of soil and leaves holes that will help water, air and fertilizer penetrate more easily. Afterwards, he top-dresses the area with a 50/50 mixture of leaf compost and sand. An additional top-dressing of Gypsum (calcium sulfate) will also help make the soil more porous.

Adrian Bloom is in Noord, Holland, in a golden field of tulips 'Golden Apeldoorn.' He is joined by Engel Hopman, a grower at Hogervorst Garden, who discusses the process of bulb production. We also see tulipa 'Merry Widow' (red/white) and 'Ganders Rhapsody' (pink/red).

Adrian visits with Jeroen Windt, owner of Bloemenwinkel (florist). After bringing us through the indoor tulip growing process, he harvests tulipa, 'White Dream' that will go off to flower markets around the world.

Roger Swain is in the new woodland area planting shade-loving bulbs. He plants hyacinthoides hispanica 'Excelsior' (Spanish blue bells) that will bloom in April/May. He also plants allium 'Triquetrum' (white flowers with green stripes) which will naturalize and spread. He mulches the bare soil with pine needles to keep the weeds down. It also adds a nice contrast to the already existing path of bark mulch.